According to Mary Howells book 'Ridge To Ridge - Recollections from Woodridge to Park Ridge', Browns Plains became in use as a place name in 1840 and for the most part up until the 1950s saw the original area running with tobacco farms.

In 1872, George Stretton operated a post office from his accommodation house in Browns Plains. 1878 saw Browns Plains School open on site of Waller Park, only to close due to effects of major drought in 1902.

Greenbank and Browns Plains telephone lines were installed in 1938.

A post office and store opened in 1956, with the post office being named Brownsleigh. The following year Scrubby Creek Bridge was built over Browns Plains Road.

In 1966, Beaudesert Shire employed consultant town planner and architect James Birrell. Beaudesert Shire gazetted[clarification needed] the old Browns Plains School site as waste treatment plant and Refuse depot (now known as Waller Park). 1968, Springwood development begins Telephone exchange to be built in Browns Plains (using the prefix 200 xxxx). Browns Plains Tavern opened in 1976.

A new post office was opened in 1980 and the name reverted to Browns Plains.[3]

1983 saw the primary school open followed by a high school in 1985.[4] Westpoint Shopping Centre opened in 1984 with Waller Park established that same year.

In the 2016 census, Browns Plains recorded a population of 6,309 people, 50.5% female and 49.5% male.[1] The median age of the Browns Plains population was 32 years, six years below the national median of 38. 59.8% of people living in Browns Plains were born in Australia, slightly lower than the national average of 66.7%. The other top responses for country of birth were New Zealand 9.2%, England 2.1%, Philippines 1.8%, India 1.6% and China 1.3%. 69.7% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 2.8% Mandarin, 1.5% Samoan, 1.3% Hindi and 1.2% Urdu.

One notable aspect of Browns Plains is the Grand Plaza Shopping Centre, which opened in 1994 and was extended 13 years later. Grand Plaza boasts 170 specialty stores, Big W, Target, Kmart, Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and an Event Cinema complex.[6] Browns Plains contains a number of schools and shops, and frequently has visits from the a circus and other events on a main park area near Browns Plains Highschool and Forest Glen Park.